I Will Follow You
by Atreyl
Summary: He opens his loosely closed bag, searching for his ticket. Instead, he finds a card with the printed words Happy Birthday! written across the top in big red letters, a chocolate bar with a smiling face below it.


**I Will Follow You**

Two days ago, it had been Mello's birthday. He'd been in this very same room with the very same person, only the mood had been lighter. Matt gave him his present, weighing about five pounds, rectangular, and about an inch thick.

Mello tore open the clumsily wrapped paper and didn't even try to hold in a squeal of delight. It was just Matt and him, and he could do practically anything around the redhead.

So Mello dove forward and tackled Matt into a bear hug, laughing, "A five-pound chocolate bar? I think _I love you_!"

Matt laughed along good-naturedly. "I do try," he said, grinning. "I'm glad you like it, though."

"Thank you." Mello smiled shyly back at him.

Matt reached out and ruffled his hair. "No problem, Mels."

Mello pouted. "Hey!" he protested, ducking out of Matt's reach.

Rolling his eyes, Matt joked, "I know, watch the hair because you spend two hours on it every morning- Ow!" Mello smacked his arm.

"Shut up," the blond said.

"Now, I managed to sneak some beer from some older kid," Matt began casually. "Care to join me?"

"Duh." Mello punched his shoulder playfully. "Go get me that bottle."

Presently, he stands beside their shared bed stiffly, his packed bag slung over his shoulder. His cheeks are stained with dried tears, eyes slightly red and puffy from all of the crying he'd done.

Matt is leaning against the doorway, watching him with something in his eyes that Mello can't quite place. Mello intentionally avoids his stare because he knows if he looks at him, he'll change his mind and stay.

"I should leave," he mumbles, moving to walk past the redhead.

Matt puts out an arm, catching Mello by the crook of his elbow. "Don't they I'm going to let you off that easy." Matt smiles softly. "Can I have a hug?"

Mello laughs a little at the childishness. "Thanks, Matt," he sighs against the other's shoulder. "Thank you for not holding me back."

When Matt pulls away, he grins crookedly. "Whatever. Anyway, we'll be seeing each other soon again, when you're all over the news for being the one who caught Kira."

"And I'll come here personally to sweep you off your feet and we'll ride off into the sunset together," Mello teases. "Just promise me you'll wait."

"Promise." Matt tilts his head to the side, eyes twinkling behind goggles. "Now go, Mello, before Roger comes and tries to stop you again."

"I don't think the old man's going to be able to handle a broken nose again," Mello says, stepping away. "I'll be leaving then."

Once he's outside of the orphanage, Mello looks back at a window, at the faint red shock of hair visible through the glass. The figure raises his hand in a half-hearted wave, and Mello lifts his own to return the gesture.

Then he's running, feet pounding against the slightly marshy ground to the nearest town so he wouldn't miss his train.

There's ten minutes left before the train leaves when Mello steps on. The few people who are already on give him curious looks, probably wondering what a fifteen-year-old was doing riding a train with nothing but a blue knapsack.

Mello scowls at all of them, sitting down in the nearest empty seat. He opens his loosely closed bag, searching for his ticket. Instead, he finds a card with the printed words _Happy Birthday! _written across the top in big red letters, a chocolate bar with a smiling face below it.

Mello frowns and opens the card, listening to the quiet techno-type music that emits from it. A girl begins singing.

"_The moves you make, the steps that you take, wherever you go, whatever you do... I will, I will follow you._.._I will follow you..._"

There are a few more seconds of the song before it cuts off, pauses, and restarts.

Mello searches the card for a message, for a clue to who it's from, but then again, he already has a vague idea...

The train begins moving, only to stop as the doors re-opens to let another boy in.

The striped-clad teen walks casually down the aisle, coming to sit beside Mello. When the train begins moving again, he takes out a PSP, turns it on, and starts mashing buttons.

A birthday card flutters to the train's grimy floor. A light flickers.

Matt grins. "Sorry. I got impatient."

* * *

**Song is _I Will Follow You _by DJ Melodie_._ Go listen to it, it's awesome. :D**


End file.
